Would-Be Gods

"I can wait tables all day without getting tired," you offer. "If you don't think that's amazing, well," you wrinkle your nose at him ,"you've obviously never done it or anything like it."

"I didn't say-" Dodger starts. You've got him on the ropes, and it feels sort of good, because he's been being sort of a jerk. "Shit. So you have the endurance, you have the flight. I'm gonna have to call in someone."

You're not sure you like that. So? You have powers. Lots of people on TV have powers. He has powers, presumably. So does Farrah.

You don't want to get Farrah in trouble. "Wait. What's the Council and why do they care about my tips? They can't have a share," you add, mostly out of annoyance.

"What's the - kid, you really need someone to teach you things."

"Rhi. Call me Rhi, not kid." You're not sure you like this guy. "And that's why I'm asking, isn't it?"

"Right, right. So the Council, they're these people who enforce the rules. They make the rules, too. They're ungodly old and powerful, they usually killed someone just as old and powerful to get the spot, and they have a bunch of people working for them who are just ridiculously old and powerful. The Council are all pure-bloods, of course, but looks like you lucked out, kid - Rhi. I'm gonna have to find someone else to teach you before they have my hide."

"How'd they become kings then, I didn't vote for them." He gets the joke, you can tell he does. You clear your throat. "Er, um, rather I mean if there's a council is there like a whole secret society with whole neighborhoods hidden from muggl-- non-fae eyes?"

"Is there - no. Well, not that I know of. There aren't that many of us -- well, there weren't." He sends a sour look over the city. "You're sure you don't do something like shoot lightning out of your fingers?"

"Why would that matter?" You wriggle your fingers and take a step back. No lightning, of course.

"It's, uh. It would mean I didn't have to call in the cavalry. I don't want those prissy dicks all over my city." He makes a face and huffs like he's explained something.

"Your city." You wrinkle your nose at him. "You realize you're making no sense at all. Purebloods. Mara. Law." You spread your invisible wings, not really sure why you're doing it but just - it helps, okay? "What is all this?"

"This is why you need a teacher!" he complains.He pinches his nose, like he has better things to do than deal with you. Entirely unfair, in your opinion.

"This is why I'm asking you questions!" you counter. "Why do you keep complaining that I need a teacher and not telling me things?"

"Because -" He sighs. "Because it's a formal thing, you know, between a student and their mentor."

"Always two there are, a master and an apprentice," you mutter.

"Don't think you've met the Sith yet, kiddo. I mean, you're still here, so I can bet you haven't." He looks around, like he's expecting Darth Maul to jump out of the trees.

"That's not ominous at all." Maybe you look around too.

"Look." He huffs. "The world is dangerous and it's just getting more so, and you're a little bird chick wearing a giant 'eat me' sign for tips. I'm gonna call in some Mara to teach you. Just don't give them lip like yo're giving me."

"Lip? Lip? Look, mister, I don't know you, you haven't told me anything yet-"

"Okay, what do you want to know? I probably can't get my ass kicked for telling you a few things."

Oh, he's a veritable fountain of information, isn't he?

[ ] You know what, never mind. Leave me alone.
[ ] I told you, tell me some things.
[ ] Go away and
[ ] Or ask some questions
(choose as many as you want but you only have an hour 'till you're supposed to go meet Farrah)
-[ ] What are these Mara?
-[ ] What are purebloods?
-[ ] What's the Law?
-[ ] Wait, Sith?
-[ ] Wait, "eat me"?
-[ ] What's up with the funny Words?
-[ ] What's up with the van guys?
-[ ] How do you protect yourself from the government?
-[ ] Write-in

You're cranky, you're tired of being talked down to, but let's be honest, this guy hasn't been stalking you, didn't attack you, and seems to possibly have some knowledge.

You force yourself to think reasonably - there's a lot of stuff that you need to know, which you already knew, but it sounds like there's even more. "Okay. Let's start with the Mara, please."

"Formally, they're the Garrubanaei*. The ones who protect. One of the three pureblooded bloodlines." He says pureblooded like it's a bad word. "They're fighters. The people the angel myths came from -- and some of the demon myths, too, I'd imagine." He pins you with a look. "Don't ever mistake that because they're the 'good guys' that they're actually good people, all right? They might be good fae. They probably will be. But don't get that mixed up."

"Don't worry," you tell him dryly. "I won't. But wait. They're --"

"I ain't gonna tell you anything that a Mara's gonna kick my ass for, all right? They're soldiers and fighters and protectors. Tough mothers."

"Okay, okay." At least you have some idea what he means by the word now. "And they're not this - okay, what in hell did you mean, sith?"

"Language, kid."

You harrumph at him.

"Okay. Fine. There's the 'dark side'. Everyone has a dark side, so do fae."

"The giant? The portals?"

"Oh, no, that's a third side." He waves his hand. "They're a temporary nuisance, hopefully. No, the Nedetakaei**, they're the sith. The fae who hate humans, who hate half-breeds, who hate -- well, everything that isn't them."

"They sound like a ton of fun."

"That's definitely one word for them. Lucky for you, they're not big on the internet, so they probably haven't found you yet. If they do, run like hell."

"How am I supposed to tell it's them?" And hey, nothing saying they might not give you answers, right?

"Well, if you see a dragon, an honest-to-gods dragon, that's them. Otherwise they're going to come in un-Masked and like they own the place. They'll love you," he adds pissily.

You're getting sick of this shit. "So. What makes them sith?"

"Didn't you hear me? They hate everything that isn't them. They want to kill it all or use it and then kill it."

"Sounds nasty," you have to admit. You check your phone for the time.

"Somewhere more important you've got to be?"

"I already told you that." His attitude, like he's doing you a favor just talking to you, is really grating on you -- despite the fact that he is, actually, telling you things.

Well, a couple things.

"So... these guys in the creepy white vans. What's up with them?"

He blinks at you. "Creepy white vans? Kid, you haven't been taking candy from strangers, have you?"

That's it.

"That's it. Thanks for the information. You might want to work on your delivery." You mock-salute him. "See you around."

It's getting easier and easier to lift off into flight, so you do that, ignoring whatever he's shouting at you.

You land a nice tidy distance off. Far enough away that he's probably not coming after you.

You have about fifteen minutes until you need to catch the bus to Farrah's house.

[ ] Practice flying more
[ ] Call and find out how talking to her mother went - or didn't go.
[ ] Maybe you *shouldn't* risk leading all your stalkers to Farrah again? How about a new plan?
[ ] Maybe you should book it before "the cavalry" shows up?
[ ] You could probably make it to Mt. Hope flying in that time.
[ ] Write-in

* Garrubanaei - GAR (rhymes with car - rue - BAN (sound like the word ban) - ay like the end of hay, stray, etc, but with a slight lilt to the end of it.

** Nedetakaei - ned - DEH - tock - aye (like the end of eye).

Hey, it's not my fault the language shifted over the years and the endings took on slightly different pronunciations... wait. This just in. It IS my fault.